Dances with atoms: IBM researchers create a short film using only microscopic particles

A group of IBM researchers took a break from studying atomic data storage to work on something a bit more lighthearted: a stop motion movie made entirely out of atoms. The film, aptly named A Boy and His Atom, was created by arranging atoms with a scanning tunneling microscope and then capturing the arrangement as an image, magnified to over 100 million times its actual size. The final result is a brief 242 frames that show a charming story of a boy dancing and playing with an atom. Before its debut today, IBM even had the Guinness World Records verify the short as the "world's smallest movie."

IBM is accompanying the film with a series of short videos explaining the technology that was involved in creating it. In the videos, the team...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/1/4287044/ibm-a-boy-and-his-atom-stop-motion-film

Space robots land on Canadian currency

Canadian robot money is on the horizon. A new $5 note coming in November will feature famous Canadian-made space robots Canadarm2 and Dextre alongside a spacewalking astronaut. The bill is the latest in Canada’s switch from cotton to longer-lasting, recyclable polymer for its national currency, and was fittingly unveiled aboard the International Space Station by Canadian astronaut, musician, and zero-gravity physics instructor Chris Hadfield. The new bill “highlights Canada’s technological achievements that look skyward — our contributions to the international space program,” said Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.

The news comes as The Royal Canadian Mint pushes ahead with work on its “MintChip” prototype, a digital...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4288240/canadian-5-bill-features-space-robots

Google Glass has an official Twitter app, confirms LeWeb founder

The New York Times has already launched an app for the Google Glass augmented reality headset, delivering breaking news in your peripheral vision. Now, it appears that Twitter is also working towards an official app which you could use in a similar fashion. Yesterday, TechCrunch reported that a Glass developer had spotted one user sharing photos from a Twitter client identifying itself as "Twitter for Glass."

That Twitter account was quickly deleted. But today, LeWeb founder Loïc Le Meur has seemingly confirmed to CNET that he has also been using an official Twitter app for Glass.

@greeterdan yes

— Loic Le Meur (@loic) May 1, 2013

While his single-word response might make some wonder whether Le Meur really meant to confirm...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4288152/google-glass-has-an-official-twitter-app-confirms-leweb-founder

Netflix losing almost 1,800 titles from its streaming library starting tomorrow

Netflix may have more original programming coming in the months ahead, but the company is also going to be losing quite a few titles as well. According to InstantWatcher, a site that catalogs the comings and goings of Netflix's streaming catalog, the service will be saying farewell to 1,794 different titles in May. That number includes 15 seasons of South Park, old horror movies like Audrey Rose, and James Bond classics like Dr. No and Goldfinger. According to Slate , the drop comes because several licensing deals Netflix has in place with studios like MGM, Warner Bros., and Universal are expiring.

While it has been posited that the titles were disappearing because they were heading to the Warner Instant Archive streaming service, that...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4287902/netflix-losing-almost-1800-titles-from-its-streaming-library-starting-tomorrow

Uber taxi-hailing service comes back to New York City

Just a few days after Uber got the official go-ahead to operate under a New York City pilot program for taxi-hailing apps, the UberTAXI service has gone live. There are a few limitations at present, however. The app doesn't support automatic payments, so you'll have to remember to pay your driver the regular way, and Uber warns that cabs may be in short supply to begin with. You'll also have to explicitly request a taxi rather than a black car, and you won't be able to use UberTAXI to travel from airports because of regulatory pitfalls. Still, the service's NYC resurrection six months after it shut down is a major milestone in the long-running battle for taxi-hailing apps to gain official acceptance.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4287896/uber-taxi-service-returns-to-nyc

You've chosen: #whatpaulshouldsee when he comes back online tonight

We asked #whatpaulshouldsee. You answered. And at midnight tonight, when Paul comes back online for the first time in a year, here's what you want him to look at.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4287782/the-definitive-ranking-what-paul-will-see-when-he-returns-to-the

CBS CEO Moonves says he could take network cable-only in 'a few days' if Aereo prevails

CBS CEO Les Moonves has said before that he’s talked with New York cable operators about taking his network cable-only if Aereo is allowed to keep streaming what it broadcasts on the internet, but now he’s saying that he could make the switch in as little as a few days "if we are forced to." By taking free CBS broadcasts off the airwaves, Moonves says, "about 10 percent of America will not get our signal and I don’t think they will like that." Aereo sells people access to individual TV antennas on its premises, letting paying subscribers watch the free broadcasts they capture online.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4287878/cbs-ceo-moonves-says-he-could-take-network-cable-only-in-a-few-days

90 Seconds on The Verge: the first website, Path, and an archaeological mystery

Are you excited? Enthused? Enthralled? Excitedly echoing everyone's earnest energy? Yes you are! And do you know what that means?

It's showtime.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4287170/The-first-website-path-an-archaeological-mystery-90sotv

J.J. Abrams expects John Williams to score 'Star Wars: Episode VII'

J.J. Abrams, director of the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII , believes that legendary composer John Williams will reprise his role for the much-anticipated sequel. In comments made at a press conference for Star Trek Into Darkness, Abrams praised the work of current collaborator Michael Giacchino, but said that Williams is likely to return to Star Wars.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4287746/john-williams-to-return-for-star-wars-episode-vii-says-jj-abrams

Microsoft targets Android users with Switch to Windows Phone app

Microsoft has released an app in the Google Play store designed to get people to stop using said store and the Android phones that connect to it. Simply called "Switch to Windows Phone," it scans your Android phone for all of your installed apps and then saves the results with your Microsoft ID. Then, using a companion app on Windows Phone itself, you can sign in and see all of the equivalent apps in Microsoft's own store, tapping through to install them each one-by-one. It doesn't show current Android users what those matched apps are, but it could be helpful to recent switchers.

It's a clever idea, getting people over the concerns that apps won't be available on Windows Phone, but the execution isn't quite there yet. Scanning was...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4287720/microsoft-targets-android-users-with-switch-to-windows-phone-app

Netflix continues its original programming onslaught with 'Orange is the New Black' on July 11th

Netflix hasn't been coy about its ambitions with original programming this year: from House of Cards to Arrested Development, the company wants to become the next HBO. Those plans will keep moving forward on July 11th when Netflix will release its latest original program, Orange is the New Black. Based on a memoir by Piper Kerman, the show is created by Jenji Kohan — the woman behind Showtime's Weeds. It's described as a comedic drama that follows a woman (Taylor Schilling) who's ripped from her New York lifestyle after being sentenced to a year in a federal penitentiary due to her involvement in a drug-running operation. Like House of Cards before it, Orange's first season will consist of thirteen episodes, with Kohan writing the...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4287290/netflix-continues-original-programming-onslaught-with-orange-is-the-new-black-july-11

White House responds to petition against CISPA, calls for new bill that 'protects privacy'

The White House has finally responded to a petition on its website signed by over 100,000 web users protesting the controversial cybersecurity bill CISPA, which was passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month. In its response to the petition, the White House comes out more forcefully against the bill, saying "this legislation still doesn't adequately address our fundamental concerns" about privacy, and pointing back to the veto threat issued by President Obama's office two weeks ago. However, the White House says that it still wants to see a new cyber security bill passed soon that allows companies and the government to share information about suspected "cyber threats." As the response issued today says, "moving forward,...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4287176/white-house-responds-to-anti-cispa-petition-more-privacy

Google gets people ready for Glass with new how-to video

Google's Project Glass is still exotic, futuristic, and distant — it's available only for extremely early adopters, including "creative individuals" who were let in through a Twitter and Google+ contest. But a year or more ahead of its consumer launch, Google is already trying to get ordinary people used to the idea of wearing a heads-up display. "Glass How-To: Getting Started," the first video released through a new Project Glass YouTube account, goes through the basics of wearing Glass, and more videos seem likely to be on the way.

In this introduction, users are shown how to adjust the Glass lens, and how to use a touchpad on the side to scroll through messages or other information and share it with friends. It doesn't remotely...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4287114/google-glass-how-to-video-gets-people-familiar-with-glass

Two-year-old girl receives new trachea made from her own stem cells

Doctors announced today that two-and-a-half year old Hannah Warren just became the youngest person in history to receive a bioengineered organ transplant, a new windpipe made of a synthetic scaffold and her own stem cells. The nine-hour long procedure was performed April 9, at Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria, but the results were just made public. Doctors expect that Warren will be able to return home in a few months and breathe, eat, drink and swallow using the new windpipe, all of which she couldn't do without the aid of machines until now.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286776/hannah-warren-first-child-bioengineered-windpipe-transplant

Obama will name former telecom lobbyist Tom Wheeler as FCC head, says WSJ

The White House will soon name former telecommunications industry lobbyist and businessman Tom Wheeler as the head of the Federal Communications Commission, The Wall Street Journal reports. President Barack Obama could make the announcement as soon as this Wednesday, the Journal's sources say, setting the stage for Wheeler to replace the outgoing Julius Genachowski. Wheeler currently works with venture capital group Core Capital, but he spent over a decade as head of the CTIA wireless industry group, leaving in 2004. Before that, he served as president of the National Cable Television Association.

A 2002 Los Angeles Times profile describes Wheeler as "the rock star of telecom," crediting him with helping to fuel a major spectrum...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286926/former-ctia-head-tom-wheeler-set-to-become-fcc-chair-says-wsj

XAVIER OUELLET REASSIGNED TO GRIFFINS

The Red Wings on Tuesday reassigned defenseman Xavier Ouellet to the Griffins from the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Ouellet, 19, skated in 50 games with the Armada this season and tied for seventh on the team with 41 points (10-31—41).



via griffinshockey.com - News Releases http://www.griffinshockey.com/news/releases/?article_id=2499

Despite pain, Helm remains upbeat

COSTA MESA, Calif. – Darren Helm and Todd Bertuzzi took a stroll around the mall adjacent to the Red Wings’ team hotel here in Southern California on Monday night. The two have gotten quite chummy since they’ve spent much of the season convales...



via Red Wings Recent Headlines http://redwings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=668541&cmpid=rss-roose

Latest Windows 8.1 build includes lock screen app alarms and IE11 developer improvements

Microsoft has been testing a variety of Windows 8.1 builds internally, and some of those software milestones have made their way onto the internet. The latest, build 9385, hasn't been leaked to file sharing sites, but screenshots are starting to emerge that reveal some additions to Windows 8.1. A new lock screen app setting appears to let Windows 8.1 users choose an app to show alarms. Existing apps do not currently support the feature, but it's believed that third-party app developers will be able to create alarms, as well as notifications, for their applications.

Windows 8.1 build 9385 also includes improved developer tools for IE11, with a new interface for accessing debugging and other options. A previously discovered "Kiosk Mode"...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286828/windows-8-1-lockscreen-app-alarms-ie11-developer-features

To curb crime and fraud, Airbnb will require all users to prove their identity

Online apartment and home rental service Airbnb is beginning to require that its users verify their identity with a government-issued photo ID or other personal information before booking stays. The service, which allows users to rent out their own property to others, has struggled with safety concerns for both hosts and guests, and it's now attempting to quell security concerns by banning pseudonyms and anonymity. By the end of 2013, the company aims to have all users verified using both personal information as well as an online account, such as Facebook.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286390/airbnb-implementing-verified-identity-policy-all-users

The Verge Mobile Show returns today at 4PM EDT / 9PM BST

It's been a wild week in the world of mobile since the last time The Verge Mobile Show was recorded, so we have quite a bit to talk about this episode. We'll be covering everything from QWERTY keyboards to IR blasters, and maybe even some Google Now news thrown in for good measure. In addition to the usual crew, we have a special guest joining us for this show, so you're not going to want to miss it. The show starts at 4PM EDT / 9PM BST!

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286436/the-verge-mobile-show-045-april-30th-2013

The Verge Playlist: Songs for Paul

Just over a year ago, Paul Miller came to my house for dinner. He already knew he was going to leave the internet for a year, though he hadn't announced it — to the internet — yet. We talked about music, something we've talked about a lot in the five or so years that I've known him. He was worried about, and excited by, the prospect of getting new music while off of the internet, which seemed understandable.

At some point, we started talking about music production, and I mentioned that one of my favorite songs production-wise is "In the Air Tonight," by Phil Collins. I won't go into all the reasons I love "In the Air Tonight," because there are so many we'd be here for a while, and nobody has that kind of time on the internet....

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4282942/the-verge-playlist-songs-for-paul

Digg's Google Reader replacement to launch as beta in June

New RSS reading services have been launching left and right ever since Google announced its plans to kill Reader on July 1st, but one of the most interesting options is coming from a rather unlikely source, the resurrected social news platform Digg. Digg revealed its plans to offer an RSS reader shortly after Google's announcement in March, and now it says that a beta version of the service will be available in June. That's good, because if Digg is going to capture the the remaining RSS addicts that haven't switched to a new service yet, its going to want to have its product launch before Reader shuts down.

According to the company's informal, survey-based research, a large number of respondents (40 percent of the 8,600 participants)...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286534/diggs-google-reader-replacement-launch-beta-june

Why is Apple issuing over $10 billion in debt when it has $145 billion in cash?

At Apple's last earnings call earlier this April, the company announced that it would be massively expanding a program to buy back stock, authorizing an additional $50 billion for a total of $60 billion in its buyback program. Despite near-continuous record-breaking growth, Apple's stock has suffered in recent months, with shareholders unhappy about what they see as declining momentum and insufficient dividends. In September, Apple was trading at around $700; early this year, it dipped below $500 and has stayed there ever since.

By buying up shares, though, Apple can help raise the overall stock price by making the remaining ones more valuable. Counterintuitively, though, the company isn't funding that buyback with its massive pile of...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/apple/2013/4/30/4286340/apple-nears-bond-deal-for-share-buyback-expansion

NASA delays astronaut flights with SpaceX and other companies, extends Russia contract

NASA has not had the ability to send astronauts to the International Space Station since the space shuttle fleet was retired in 2011, and that's not going to change anytime soon. A plan to replace the shuttle by paying for rides on commercial spacecraft from SpaceX, Boeing or several other private companies has been delayed from its original 2015 anticipated start date due to budget cuts, NASA announced today. Instead, NASA has extended a contract with the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos), paying another $424 million to allow US astronauts to fly aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft through 2016, and to return them or provide rescue services through 2017. That comes out to about $63 million per seat, while SpaceX estimates it will be able to...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286324/nasa-delays-commercial-crew-launches-extends-russia-contract

Between a Rockman and a hard place: the fan-made Mega Man

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.polygon.com/features/2013/4/30/4129104/rockman-hard-place-mega-man-reaverbot

Nyquist is feeling fortunate these days

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Sporting a black eye, Gustav Nyquist is feeling fortunate after he received six stitches to close a cut over his left eye in Saturday’s season-final win at Dallas. “It’s always scary when the stick gets up there, you don’t rea...



via Red Wings Recent Headlines http://redwings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=668527&cmpid=rss-roose

Unimo wheelchair uses tank treads to scale stairs, smoothly traverse rough terrain

A Japanese tech firm is attempting to improve wheelchairs by changing how they travel and how well they can do it. Nano-Optonics Energy's newly released Unimo electrically controlled chair uses thin, tank-like treads to traverse the ground, which the company claims allows it to travel smoothly over difficult terrain such as gravel and sand that traditional models can't easily handle. The chair can also climb up and down 6-inch stairs, nearly twice as high as what the manufacturer says most wheelchairs are capable of, and it can approach speeds of 4 mph.

However, the Unimo won't be hitting the road just yet: though the device is capable of traveling over 12 miles on a single charge, the company sees the device first heading into medical...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285942/nano-optonics-energy-unimo-electric-chair-rehabilitation

Path is spamming address books with unwanted texts and robocalls — again

Path, the photo-centric social network that just hit 10 million users yesterday, has been getting some heat for what some users say are spammy tactics to recruit new users. Digital marketer Stephen Kenwright downloaded the app earlier this week, tried it out, uninstalled it, and went to bed. When he woke up, he found that Path had gone on a rogue mission early in the morning, texting and robocalling an unknown number of his contacts, including his grandparents.

By the time Kenwright got to work, it became clear that Path had gotten in touch with his entire phone book. Coworkers, friends, and family were asking him about the text or phone call they'd received from Path, which stated that Kenwright wanted to share photos with them.

...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286090/path-is-spamming-address-books-with-unwanted-texts-and-robocalls

Hulu shows strong growth with over one billion streamed videos in Q1

Even as rumors swirl that some of Hulu's backers may walk away from the streaming video service, the company is enjoying stronger momentum with consumers than at any point in its history. Today at the Hulu Upfront presentation in New York City, it was revealed that in Q1 of 2013, users streamed over one billion videos — the first time Hulu has broken that number in a single quarter. That usage was undoubtedly driven in large part by Hulu Plus; the company says it's now recruited over four million premium subscribers. Not only did the number of paying Hulu users double in 2012, but Q1 shows an impressive surge of new growth.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286018/hulu-strong-growth-over-one-billion-streamed-videos-in-q1-2013

Vine video makers can use their front-facing cameras with latest update

The six-second time limit and looping nature of Twitter's Vine videos have turned them into a fresh challenge for cinematographers — most recently, the Tribeca Film Festival hosted its own Vine movie competition. A new update, just released on the iTunes App Store, will add precisely one very important feature to the toolbox: access to the front-facing camera. Version 1.1 of Vine puts an icon on the bottom of the screen when shooting a Vine; pressing it will switch between cameras, so you can apportion your time however you choose.

Vine is also making mentions a little easier to use, adding a button that will bring up a list of names as you type. The app started off with an extremely pared-down aesthetic, and that's not changing, but...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286172/vine-adds-front-facing-camera-support

Facebook for Windows Phone gets major redesign as part of new beta app program

Microsoft is launching a new beta program for Windows Phone that will allow Facebook users to get the latest app version to help test upcoming features. The new Facebook beta app, available in the Windows Phone Store, has undergone a fairly major redesign with some new features including support for high-resolution photos, post sharing, and the Facebook Timeline.

Facebook ditches Metro-style

The new UI moves away from the "Metro style" interface found in the existing Facebook app, and more closely matches the iOS and Android Facebook apps. Sliding to the right will expose the navigation bar and sliding to the left on the main news feed reveals the chat interface. Facebook's Windows Phone update follows a similar move by Twitter...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4286158/facebook-windows-phone-beta-app-major-redesign

'Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon' is an acid trip on the back of a neon T-Rex

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is a ridiculous game. It's what would happen if you took the gameplay of open-world shooter Far Cry 3 and mixed it with your favorite sci-fi action flicks from the '80s and early '90s — there's a little Terminator, a little Alien, and a whole lot of neon. It's a modern game with a retro aesthetic, a big dumb shooter that isn't ashamed to be what it is.

If you haven't played Far Cry 3 or any of its predecessors, there's nothing to worry about as Blood Dragon is a stand-alone experience, available today on PS3 and tomorrow on Steam and the Xbox 360. You'll be placed in the cybernetic boots of Sergeant Rex "Power" Colt (yes, that's his real name), a cybercommando with a love of explosions and really bad puns....

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285712/far-cry-3-blood-dragon-hands-on

Ben Kingsley describes what drives The Mandarin in this exclusive 'Iron Man 3' featurette

Robert Downey Jr.'s return in Iron Man 3 is just days away for US audiences — and this time around Tony Stark is battling none other than his archenemy The Mandarin. Sir Ben Kingsley portrays the villain, and in this exclusive clip we learn about the background of the character, Kingsley's take on The Mandarin's worldview, and what it was like for those making the film to work with the actor. There's also plenty of Kingsley's low growl — which thus far sounds like the best supervillain voice this side of Bane. If you live abroad, you can check out Kingsley's performance now; for those of you in the US, Iron Man 3 opens Friday.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4284220/ben-kingsley-describes-what-drives-the-mandarin-in-this-exclusive-iron-man-3-featurette

Hundreds of strange metallic spheres found in ancient Mexican temple

Hundreds of strange metallic-looking spheres of unknown origin and purpose have been discovered by archaeologists exploring the ruins of an ancient Mesoamerican temple in Mexico, Discovery News reports. The spheres were uncovered by a camera-equipped robotic exploration rover on the floor of two previously sealed underground chambers in the Temple of the Feathered Serpent in the ancient city Teotihuacan, 30 miles away from Mexico City. They are thought to be at least 1,800 years old and are about 1.5 inches to 5 inches in size. Their cores are made up of clay and other unknown organic materials, while their surfaces are covered in pyrite, also known as "fool's gold," giving them a sparkling yellow coating.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285858/strange-metal-like-spheres-found-mexico-teotihuacan-temple

Google adds popular movie and music links to search results courtesy of Google+ Sign-In

When Google+ Sign-In was announced earlier this year — the search giant's riff on a Facebook Connect-style login service with integrated activity sharing — it promised that the information it saw from users of the service would yield new benefits. Today the company is announcing a new addition to Google search results: it will be using Google+ Sign-In activity to determine the most popular titles for several different movie and music services, and linking directly to those titles within search results.

The launch partners included Flixster, Fandango, SoundCloud, and Slacker Radio, amongst several others. The new links appear for all Google users, whether they're logged into their Google account or using Google+ Sign-In themselves,...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285930/google-adds-popular-movie-and-music-links-to-search-results-courtesy-of-google-plus-sign-in

Rockstar profiles 'Grand Theft Auto V' characters with three new trailers

Grand Theft Auto V may still be five or so months away, but Rockstar isn't slowing down its promotional efforts for the game. The studio has just released a trio of new trailers that give fans a closer look at GTAV's main characters Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. Los Santos — the massive in-game world that Rockstar describes as the largest it's ever created — is also on full display.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285846/new-grand-theft-auto-v-trailers-artwork-released

NextGuide TV discovery app adds real-time polls, trivia, and games for USA Network's top shows

NextGuide is an iPad app that serves as a digital replacement for the trusty TV Guide, letting users find programming to watch on their television or from an assortment of online sources. The app's integration with live television is now getting an added boost with the addition of second-screen content from a variety of shows on the USA Network. With the new version of the app — going live today — users will now see a "USA Sync" button in NextGuide for shows like Psych, Burn Notice, and Suits. Watching those shows during their live television broadcasts will bring up an array of new content within NextGuide, including polls, trivia, mini-games, and behind-the-scenes clips.

USA has been particularly aggressive in this arena,...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4284670/nextguide-tv-discovery-app-becomes-a-synced-second-screen-for-usa-network-shows

Sell yourself: Twitter wants you to make ads for your 'personal brand'

Twitter started rolling out access to its self-service advertising platform last year, which focused on letting small businesses and individuals purchase promoted accounts and tweets just like bigger companies. While the self-service ad tool was initially limited to selected American Express cardmembers or merchants, Twitter gradually rolled the product out to more and more users, and today the company announced that anyone on Twitter can now advertise on the site. Twitter Senior Director of Product for Revenue Kevin Well made the announcement today at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, saying that "we have reach, we have engagement, and while a tweet is 140 characters and will always be just 140, we have photos, videos, and you can...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285764/twitters-ad-platform-now-open-to-all

Skype Video Messages now available in Windows desktop app, due soon for Windows 8

Microsoft launched its new Skype Video Messages feature for iOS, Android, and Mac back in February, but the company didn't make it available initially for its own Windows platform. Today, Microsoft is releasing a preview of Skype Video Messaging for Windows desktop users. The traditional desktop app that runs on Windows 7 and Windows 8 will include the new feature, allowing users to trade short video messages (up to three minutes long) with other Skype members.

The feature is still not available on Microsoft's Windows 8 Skype app, but the company is promising to make this available "shortly." Skype says it's still testing the feature, and at the moment you get 20 free messages before you have to subscribe to Skype Premium for $4.99 a...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285780/skype-video-messaging-windows-desktop-app

Red Wings' Five to make playoff debut

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Five Red Wings will make their Stanley Cup playoff debuts when the team faces-off against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals on Tuesday. Combined, Joakim Andersson, Damien Brunner, Danny DeKeys...



via Red Wings Recent Headlines http://redwings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=668522&cmpid=rss-roose

The walls have ears: Samsung and Intel bet big on a startup that searches every word you say

Back in October of last year, The Verge wrote about the app MindMeld, a sort of Siri on steroids that could listen to an eight-person conversation and suggest information the speakers involved might want to see. Today Samsung, Intel, and Telefónica announced a strategic investment in Expect Labs, the company behind the technology, which the creators have dubbed "anticipatory computing."

"We're focused on building software that listens to what's happening in a room and delivers information to people before they know they need it," says Expect Labs CEO Tim Tuttle. "We're fortunate that some of the biggest companies in the world agree this is the future and have decided to partner with us."

But why are three very different kinds of...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4283288/expect-labs-mindmeld-investment-samsung-intel-telefonica

UFC owners launch America's 'first legal' online poker site

Online gambling has returned to the US with the launch of the first legal, real money poker site. Earlier today, gambling company Ultimate Gaming opened its virtual doors to the citizens of Nevada, offering them the chance to legally play poker online for the first time in more than two years. Today's launch comes just two months after state regulators passed a bill allowing Nevada citizens to play across borders without the need for federal gambling legislation.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285252/ultimate-poker-first-legal-us-poker-site

How cable led the way for a new breed of television

With The Sopranos, HBO set a precedent for the type of show that could be broadcast into American homes. First broadcast in 1999, The Sopranos was followed by other gritty HBO productions like The Wire. As The New York Times points out, the only "magic" that allowed these new, darker dramas to achieve what they did was creative freedom. As HBO makes its money through subscriptions and syndication, writers were unshackled from the chains of network executives concerned about advertising revenue, and had control over their own work.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285242/how-cable-led-the-way-for-a-new-breed-of-television

First ever website brought back to life at its original URL

April 30th may seem as ordinary as any other date, but in 1993 it marked an important milestone in the development of global communications: it was on that day that the World Wide Web entered the public domain. CERN, the same research group that's presently busy smashing protons together using the Large Hadron Collider, made World Wide Web technologies available to everyone on a royalty-free basis. Without that enlightened decision, backed by web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee, we might never have enjoyed the glories of GIFs, ubiquitous social networking, and instant music streaming.

In a celebration of the web's proud history, the CERN team has started up a new project to revive the very first website at its original URL. A 1992 copy of...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285164/first-ever-website-brought-back-to-life

Meet the 'Deciders,' the gatekeepers of free speech on the internet

Last year, the "Deciders" held a meeting at Stanford Law School's faculty lounge. Both individually and together, the elite few in the lounge that day wield enormous influence over the future of free speech on the internet. Working for companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Yahoo, everyone at the low-key meeting was in charge of their respective companies' policies on takedowns and censorship. They dubbed themselves the Deciders in tribute to Twitter's Nicole Wong, who got the nickname while serving as deputy general counsel at Google. A report from New Republic explains how the Deciders work, how they came to meet, and how they're shaping all of our futures.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285202/free-speech-censorship-deciders-google-facebook-twitter-yahoo

SoftBank CEO calls Dish bid for Sprint 'incomplete and illusory'

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son has come out swinging against the rival bid for Sprint from Dish Network. At a press conference in Tokyo, Son argued that SoftBank doesn't think it is necessary to raise its $20.1 billion bid for Sprint, and maintained that it represents a better option than Dish's $25.5 billion offer. While Dish has claimed that their bid is worth $7 a share, Son questioned the company's numbers, asking "Is it right? Is it true? Is it misleading? I would say the number is wrong. Totally wrong. It is incomplete and illusory."

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285174/softbank-masayoshi-son-calls-dish-sprint-bid-misleading

Best Buy sells off final remnants of failed UK business

It's been over a year since Best Buy shut down its retail stores in the UK, but the company today announced it will sell its 50 percent share in its Best Buy Europe joint venture with Carphone Warehouse to its partner for £500 million ($775 million). Best Buy says it made the decision to sell its stake partly to "simplify its business" and to strengthen its balance sheet, but will pay £29 million ($45 million) to Carphone Warehouse as part of its termination agreement.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285156/best-buy-sells-UK-business-carphone-warehouse

Apple and Samsung set to battle over damages this November

Back in March Judge Lucy Koh cut the amount of damages Apple was awarded in the company's legal battle with Samsung, and ordered a new trial to determine what happened to the balance. Now we have a date when that tussle will kick off: November 12th. The date comes from a management order the court issued after a hearing earlier today.

Koh had originally intended for the new trial to cover the $450,514,650 she cut from the $1.049 billion in damages Apple was awarded last August, but there were some tweaks today. Namely, she re-awarded the nearly $40.5 million the jury granted Apple for infringement in connection with the AT&T variant of the Galaxy S II. The S II damages had initially been called into question as having been calculated...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285032/apple-and-samsung-set-to-battle-over-damages-this-november

Yahoo's latest Android app integrates Summly for faster news scanning

Last week, Yahoo released an updated version of its iOS app with integrated news summaries courtesy of its recent acquisition, Summly, and now the same thing is arriving on Android. First spotted by Android Police , the new Yahoo looks practically identical to its iOS counterpart, and contains the same feature list: a never-ending visual stream of news stories, sharing to Facebook and Twitter, and an improved web search that includes images and video.

Summly's summaries condense long news articles down to 400 characters, providing more information than a headline, but remaining easy to skim at a glance. If you were patiently waiting for the Android version of Summly only to see it get shelved in the Yahoo acquisition, your time is now....

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285068/yahoo-android-app-integrates-summly-for-faster-news-scanning

Nokia reportedly investing in Lytro-style array camera startup

Nokia is eyeing an investment in Pelican Imaging, a California startup working on array camera technology for smartphones, according to Bloomberg . Array cameras offer similar benefits to Lytro's light field technique, allowing photographers to adjust an image's focus after it has been captured, but use a single self-contained module with multiple optics. This means they can forgo the traditional separate lens, making them more compact and appropriate for use in smartphones.

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4285044/nokia-plans-pelican-imaging-array-camera-investment-says-bloomberg

Skype video calling launches for Outlook.com, available in UK today and US in 'coming weeks'

When Microsoft first unveiled its Outlook.com webmail service in July, the software maker promised Skype video calling from the web. While Outlook.com has seen a number of updates over the months, including a calendar UI refresh, Skype integration has been missing in action. Fortunately, that's changing this week. Microsoft is announcing that Outlook.com will now support Skype video calling.

The roll out will start in the UK today, followed by US availability in the "coming weeks," and worldwide support by the summer. The integration works by first installing a browser plugin that interfaces with Skype and Outlook.com. The plugin supports the most recent versions of Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox, and Skype users will be...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/30/4283888/skype-video-calling-outlook-com-integration

Intel CEO Paul Otellini tells FCC that SoftBank is the better buyer for Sprint

In its battle to acquire Sprint, Japanese carrier SoftBank has a surprising ally — Intel. The chipmaker’s CEO Paul Otellini sent an email to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski last week saying that he supports SoftBank, headed by the enigmatic Masayoshi Son, over a competing bid from TV provider Dish Network. "Son-san’s vision to build a high speed competitive third national network is very compelling," writes Otellini. "We need this competition in the wireless space as the ATT / Verizon model is not giving that to consumers at this time."

It’s hard to tell what effect Otellini’s recommendation will have, but it’s nonetheless interesting that he and Intel are taking a position on the matter. As it stands, SoftBank has said that...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/29/4284770/intel-ceo-paul-otellini-tells-fcc-softbank-is-better-buyer-for-sprint

Verizon Cloud app is the wireless carrier's answer to Dropbox

There’s no shortage of places to store your files online, but that isn’t stopping mobile carrier Verizon from jumping into the mix. Today, the company is announcing Verizon Cloud for smartphones and tablets, a storage and syncing service that lets people save 500MB worth of text messages, call logs, contacts, music, and other files for free. If that’s not enough, you can also get extra space for prices that range from $2.99 a month for a 25GB plan to $9.99 for 125GB. Comparatively, the biggest plan gives you more storage than Dropbox’s identically-priced 100GB offer, but is roughly twice the price of 100GB plans from Google Drive and Microsoft’s Sky Drive, although the ability to easily save phone-specific data like text...

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/29/4284550/verizon-cloud-app-is-carriers-answer-to-dropbox

France reportedly scuttles Yahoo's bid for Dailymotion video portal

Yahoo's bid for a controlling stake in video portal Dailymotion has ended after the French government raised objections to the deal, according to reports. The collapse of the talks is a blow to Yahoo, which has been fighting the perception it is irrelevant by acquiring up-and-coming talent and releasing well-regarded new apps. It also deprives them of a new distribution channel for original programming and the advertising that will run alongside it.

Dailymotion is owned by France Telecom-Orange, in which France holds a minority stake. TechCrunch , building on an earlier report from Le Monde , reports that France's minister of industrial renewal did not want to see one of France's marquee Internet companies sold off to a U.S. tech giant....

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via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/web/2013/4/29/4283810/france-reportedly-scuttles-yahoos-bid-for-dailymotion-video-portal